Camisado
by BloodySaint
Summary: Sometimes, your past catches up to you before your ready. Sometimes, you're forced to trust people that you wouldn't normally, and sometimes, those people turn out to be the only aid against evil's camisado.
1. A Cameo Setting

_A flash of gold passed by her vision, then she swung her blade. The bodies of her fallen comrades littered the dusty ground and the last one out of her enemies stood before her. Again, she swung her blade. He dodged and skidded off to the side, taking the moment to cuff her upside the head with his talons. She felt the claws dig into her forehead and slice down her back. The momentum threw her into something hard, and her whole body was racked with the feeling of pure agony._

The memory faded as her eyes slowly opened. She laid there silently for a few minutes, taking in the unfamiliarity of her surroundings. Stone walls and a single window that was letting in beams from a morning sun. The bed she laid in was just comfortable enough for her not to have cramps and knots in her muscles. Almost nervously, she sat up and crawled to the end of the bed. A mirror rested there.

She let out a breath she wasn't aware of holding. Her crimson body was covered in bandages that were beginning to soak up too much blood. Her eyes, which were normally an intense ruby color, were very pale due to lack of water, food, and of course, blood. She gingerly touched a bandage just below her left eye and cringed. It, along with the rest of her body, was very sore. She stood on the bed and grimaced when she wobbled slightly. Her whole equilibrium had been thrown off.

"You're finally awake!"

She whipped around to the sound of the voice, bringing her stubby hands up to defend herself because she seemed to be lacking her sword. The body to the voice was a shorter creature with armor over his entire body. She saw him jump back and lay a hand on his own sword handle from the shock. When she relaxed, like a mirror, the stranger relaxed as well.

"Sorry!" He laughed in a jovial fashion that slightly disturbed her. "Didn't mean to scare you!"

"Where am I?" She was surprised to hear her voice in such a gravelly tone.

"You're at Castle Dedede, of course!" The stranger said and then bowed slightly. "I'm Blade. My brother and I found you a few miles into the woods, unconscious."

"Hn." Her response was short as she grabbed her half-mask that had been hung at the end of the bedpost.

"I hate to ask such a question since you're probably confused and all," He looked at her and blinked. "But are you a Star Warrior?"

She went completely silent as she adjusted the cold leather strap so it fit around her body properly. Looking over to the mirror once more, she made sure it was in the proper place. She gingerly ran her tongue over a cut across her lips, almost enjoying the stinging sensation that tingled through her face. She glanced over to Blade, and then leaped from the bed. A starling grunt escaped her mouth when her bruised up feet came in contact with the stony floor. Blade gasped a bit.

"Be careful." He said, not noticing the real reason she made such a flashy dismount from the bed. "You're not in the best shape."

"I realize that." Her voice was a bit lighter now, making it more obvious that she was a female. "Doesn't mean I'm going to waste weeks that I could be training."

"Although, you should wait a few days at the least."

She stopped when another figure came through the doorway. She could never mistake the poise of a warrior. He wore a silver mask that completely covered all of his features, but the rectangular shape in the front allowed his yellow eyes to gleam through. He wore light armor and a cape. For a moment, she locked eyes with the new stranger. She then let out a rough sigh and stretched out her sore arms.

"I cannot afford to wait." She looked at him with stern eyes. "Please take me to where my sword is located."

Almost for a full minute, Blade and the stranger looked at each other. Then, they started off down the hall. She hurried after them, trying to keep back her limp as much as possible. When they got outside, she grimaced again. The light was increasingly painful to her eyes. She waited in the shade as the masked stranger walked over to a large shed, Blade meeting up with someone else in front of it. Judging from the way they communicated, Blade was talking to his brother.

When the stranger came back into the light, she got a chance to look him over better. The barely visible spots of skin assured her that he was a dark blue, his feet a light magenta. She caught a glimpse of his blade which only proved the fact of his higher status. He handed her the sword handle-first, and she was pleased enough by his confidence to give him a very small smile.

"Both of you," He turned back to the brothers. "Back to sparring."

They went silent as they began to clash swords. Each clash made Rose blink, but she never missed the first few minutes of the match. Almost as if she were forming some sort of habit, she ran her tongue over her split lips. Something about the feeling of the wound stinging brought a sense of life to her mind and body. It reminded her that she had not yet died, and remained living as a female warrior.

"You seem to know more about blades than I would have thought." The voice of the male Star Warrior caused her to give him a half-hearted glance.

"A Star Warrior has ought to know about its weapon, am I correct?" She replied curtly, having a slight feeling he was gesturing toward the fact she was a female.

"Of course." At the sound of his response, she caught a glimpse of his eyes turning an odd combination of pearl and forest. "I noticed your interest in my blade the second we made contact."

"It's not every day I get to see such a greatly esteemed blade in person." Her voice was amused, but the visible half of her face showed nothing more than disinterest. "Galaxia isn't a term often used with little regard."

"You seem more interested in the blade than your current condition." He mused, his eyes shifting to more green than pink.

"I know how I came to be in my current condition." She replied curtly, removing her blade from the sheathe to asses the damage. "If I didn't know, don't you think that I would have asked Blade about that first?"

He went silent and she took the moment to look at the sword. Its leather handle was worn as it had been before and after each battle. The blade itself was curved slightly, and within the slope were many dings and chips in the steel. She ran the edge of the blade along the tip of her hand and pulled it back when it finally drew blood. It desperately needed to be sharpened. She caught a glimpse of the Star Warrior next to her watching her movements.

"Rose." She was glad that the snap of her voice made his attention move back to the sparring match before them.

"Meta Knight."

She honestly wasn't expecting a response from him, so she actually looked at him full-on. Then, she forced her eyes to the match again. Blade flipped over and his brother charged at him. They seemed so amateur, but she knew they could be more advanced and swifter. Something about their style bothered her greatly. She wasn't quite sure what it was, either. Maybe the fact that they always were on their toes, which allowed them to be knocked back and over easier.

When she heard laughter and yelling, she turned her attention to the front doors of the large castle behind them. A boy and a girl were being chased out by a snail-like creature. All the sudden, a pink puffball was thrown after them. It made an odd noise when it hit the ground, and rolled into them like bowling pins. She caught a short glimpse of Meta Knight's eyes turning yellow as they ran over to him. The pink puffball lunged at her and she only took a simple step to the side to avoid being tackled to the ground by it.

"Tiff, Tuff." He nodded to them and then looked at the pink creature. "Kirby."

"Poyo!" Kirby exclaimed, face still in the ground.

"Who're you?" The boy asked. "Are you a Star Warrior like Meta Knight and Kirby?"

"Like Meta Knight." She answered curtly as Kirby got onto his feet. "I cannot believe that its a Star Warrior."

"He saved everyone a few years ago!" The teenage girl responded with a smile. "We were almost destroyed by Nightmare!"

"Surprising." She looked anywhere she could that wasn't the glittering eyes of the puffball now standing in front of her.

"Poyo!" He exclaimed loudly. "P-Poyo! Poyo! Po-Poyo!"

"What is wrong with you, Kirby?" Tiff grabbed him and squished his cheeks. "He doesn't normally act like this."

She watched silently as the younger Star Warrior threw a fit in Tiff's arms. He squealed and swung his arms wildly. She glanced over his innocent features and then turned away. Something about him bothered her more than the brothers' fighting style. Irritated with all the mental prodding everyone seemed to be doing toward her, she closed her eyes in a feeble attempt to escape reality for a moment. However upon opening them again, she didn't have much time to react to Kirby lunging at her. She hit the ground and promptly threw him off, drawing her blade.

"Kirby!" Tiff and Tuff exclaimed simultaneously, going to grab him.

"Wait," Meta Knight's voice made Rose stop for a moment. "Let us see how this pans out."

Even the brothers stopped fighting to watch as Kirby leaped to her again. She didn't hesitate to slice his foot, but he didn't even flinch when the bleeding appendage hit the red puffball in the face. She shook her face for a moment and jousted the sword straight out at him, stabbing him just below the arm. That was when Tiff and Tuff finally intervened and grabbed Kirby. The little warrior made growling sounds on the not-so threatening side, again swinging his nubs at her.

Rose tightened one of the bandages when she felt blood begin to trickle again, making the blood soak the bandage just a bit more. She didn't seem to notice the dark green gaze locked onto her, carefully searching her visible expressions. It was hard to judge because of her half mask. Was she smirking? Was she completely unnerved? Was she bored?

"What is your issue, Kirby?!" Tuff gasped.

"Maybe we should take him home." Tiff sighed, holding Kirby tight in her arms. "Maybe mom will know what to do."

"That's a good idea!" Tuff smiled a bit and then looked at them. "Alright, see you guys!"

Silently, both Star Warriors watched the three walk away. While Rose's eyes were on Kirby, his were on her. It was his turn to be bothered. He stared as she quickly sheathed her blade and adjusted her mask, which had been knocked slightly off kilter when Kirby kicked her.

"Is there a reason you continue to stare?" She asked bluntly, getting slightly unnerved.

"Do you have any reason for him to hate you?" Meta Knight asked. "I have never seen the gentle Star Warrior act in such a volatile manner."

"Many attack me without reason, Meta Knight." Rose replied softly, seemingly bothered with the accusation from him. "They all view me as a enemy, so I gave up on wondering why."

"An enemy dies," He replied in a gentle tone similar to her own. "No matter which side they fight for."

"Never have truer words been said." Her smile was hidden behind the half-mask.

"Meta Knight!" Blade panted, drawing their attention. "May we stop, please?"

"Fine." The elder sighed and waved them off. "Go and rest for the rest of the afternoon."

"Thank you!" Sword and Blade exclaimed and rushed off.

Rose took the silence between them as a sign to relax. She sat down on the cool grass and breathed softly through her mouth, allowing her tongue to be graced with the soft breeze that rippled over the hills. After a second, she caught a glimpse of Meta Knight sitting down beside her. It was now close to noon and the sky was a beautiful shade of blue. As she took the time to relax, the fatigue and soreness began to catch up to her. Even blinking seemed to make her hurt worse.

"I take it that the battle you fought was no meager one." The amount of taunt in his voice was almost painful.

"I'm beginning to wish it was." She joked in an attempt to ward of memories of the dispute and laid back. "Everything is on fire or beyond sensitive..."

"Do you need to rest more, like I suggested?" He glanced at her and his eyes turned a light shade of pink.

"I hate to fall into the truth of others." She groaned as she stood up, the stiffness really beginning to set in. "I also hate to go and sleep. It is only noon, of course, but rest will do my body great wonders."

He lead her back into the castle and to the room. She let out a soft sigh as she climbed onto the bed, removing her mask and then looking at him. They were silent until the air around them became tense and awkward, then he left. She laid down and smiled slightly at the feeling of the soft pillow beneath her head and the blankets around her round body. She laid there for a moment, then sprung up and shut the curtains. Light still drifted through, but no where near the brightness it was originally. She was glad to snuggle back into the blankets and fall asleep again.

_"You thought you could get away?"_

_"Alonis!" She exclaimed, brandishing her blood stained sword. "You fool! You let a bitter relationship turn into a blood bath!"_

_"It wasn't the relationship!" He crowed loudly._

_"No, you're right." She growled. "It was your cold and unforgiving heart!"_

_The sound of steel against claws rippled through the barely lit battlefield. Sun had set, only leaving the stars to light the grass and the mangled bodies of friend and foe. She felt herself beginning to be lifted from the ground and realized that he was holding her in his talons. Only a second later he threw her to the ground. She collided with the dry dirt roughly, the grains of dust and rock slicing into her skin. She growled and pulled herself to her feet, only to be landed on._

_"You coward." She spat her insult with blood onto his leg._

_Leaving one heavy claw on her, he used his others to shred her to bits. She cried out in agony as he left a final mark, a tear across her lips. When he moved, she found herself unable to. He gave her one final glance before rocketing off and into the dark sky. After a few minutes, the adrenaline began to wear off, and soon, she passed out due to lack of blood._

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**Hey, everyone!**

**I really hope you like this fanfiction as much as I do. I think it's coming along great so far. If you do like it, or have something that could be improved, please leave a comment and favorite it! :) See you later! **

**- B.S**


	2. Bitter Friendship

As a single week passed by, Rose learned to connect with the strangers around her. When Meta Knight wasn't around, she made sure to have Blade and Sword do their sparring matches and excersies. She began to form a small friendship with Tiff when she learned about the teenage girl's interest in history and math. Never had she been able to have an even debate with another female about something like that. Sometimes, they debated about more girl-ish things as well.

"That's so weird!" Tiff couldn't help but laugh.

"It's strange, yes." Rose was sitting in front of her in a chair, smiling slightly herself. "Although, it is quite different from the way your people court each other."

"Well, you guys are round." The teenager shrugged, kind of understanding what she was explaining. "That does make sense."

"You have any other questions?" The Star Warrior seemed fairly amused.

"Actually, yeah." Tiff grabbed her notepad and pen once more. "So, Kirby can make himself float and can copy abilities by just inhaling. Can you?"

"I can." Rose almost seemed hesitant in her answer. "Although, I try not to."

"Why not?"

"One, I have my own sword." She continued. "It would seem kind of ridiculous to carry around a weapon and not use it. Two, floating makes me look utterly bloated."

That caused Tiff to start laughing. Rose couldn't help but let a stray chuckle escape her mouth as she rocked back on her round figure. She felt a stray breeze from an open window and shivered slightly. It was a very warm summer day, but she felt cold. That was the reason she hated being without her armor. She was hoping someone would find it and bring it back to her, for it wasn't exactly cheap to have made. She also missed her cape.

"Hey, Tiff!" They both looked to the door of the castle library to see Sword and Blade standing at the entrace. "We need both of you to help us with something."

"What do you need assistance for?" Rose asked.

"We found a wild creature in the woods, and it's super strong!" Blade exclaimed. "Meta Knight is keeping an eye on it, and he wants us to take it down, but it's too strong!"

"I'll take this one, Tiff." The red puffball drew her sword and glanced at the teenager. "You just relax. I'll come straight back here."

She raced after the brothers, swift and feather-like on her feet. Knowing that she had no idea of where she was supposed to be going, she did her best to stay behind them. When they reached the depths of the woods, she saw the creature and cringed. It looked close to a giant spider, four tall legs on either side of its body. However its enitre body was gaunt and a pallid shade of green. Stripes littered its entire lower torso and a barb of some sort rested on its rear. It had very thin and translucent wings on its back.

"Where is Meta Knight?" Blade looked around.

"Don't worry about him." Rose crouched a bit with her blade as the creature turned around. "Worry about that!"

It struck out with one of its legs, nearly impaling Rose's foot. She rolled and charged beneath it, slicing it from the belly down. She paused and sighed roughly as it began to regenerate itself. Blade and Sword were making excellent distractions, lunging left and right, causing the creature to try and focus on them. She glanced around for something to use that could kill the beast. She spotted an old fire pit and rushed over to it. She grabbed two sticks and furiously rubbed them together.

"What are you doing?!" Sword shrieked and leaped to the side, barely avoiding being sliced up.

"This!" Rose whipped around, flaming sticks in hand. "Run!"

The two dashed beneath its belly, and just as it roared at them, Rose leaped up and tossed the twigs into its mouth. It pulled a weird face, its emerald eyes suddenly opening wide. That was when she wished she had her cape. It exploded everywhere, yellowish green liquid splashing all over the surrounding woods. All three of them were coated in slime. She grunted and shook her body roughly, the slime pretty much clearing off her body. Blade and Sword however, coudln't seem to get rid of it.

"You did well, Rose." Meta Knight leaped from a tree and glided to her side, bat-like wings extended over twice the side of his body.

"Thank you for the assistance." She snapped, and then turned to Sword and Blade. "You said it was too difficult for you two to fight alone, and that Meta Knight was supposed to fight with us. It was a clever trick, but why the trick at all?"

"I hadn't seen you fight." He spoke before the brothers got a chance to, his eyes a shimmering green color. "I thought that the opportunity of pitting you against a Demon Beast was my best bet."

"Again, very clever." She seemed more irritated then surprised. "However, my bandages are now soaked with slime and I need to have them changed."

The lowest and softest of chuckles escaped Meta Knight's mouth as he lead them back to the castle. When inside, Tiff met them with a happy smile and laughed at the sight of Sword and Blade covered in slime. The teenage girl was more than willing to exchange her bandages for fresh ones. Meta Knight, Tiff and Rose were all in one of the spare rooms. In complete silence, he watched Rose remove her mask again. Tiff and her started an idle conversation to pass the time and Meta Knight just stood with his cape wrapped around his body.

He could tell that Rose was a middle-aged Star Warrior from the way she walked. She was confident and calm, but not overly cocky or aggrivated. Her mask was worn from battle, tiny notches and chips missing from the metal. However, he noticed that her right eye was completely white and barely able to open. There were three large claw marks that seemed to start at the bottom of her eye and go all the way down her back. Various other wounds were also covered by bandages big and small. He watched her facial expression intently as she had her wounds cleaned and rebandaged.

"By many people, staring is considered rude." Rose said suddenly.

"My apologies." Meta Knight looked down, a gleam of magenta rippling through his amber eyes.

"There you go!" Tiff happened to finish bandaging her at that moment.

"Thank you." She replied, hopping off the bed and re-attaching her mask. "I am going to train for a while. Please call me for dinner, Tiff."

"Will do!"

Both of them watched her walk from the room with a slight limp. Then after a few seconds, Tiff turned her attention to Meta Knight.

"You've been acting really weird." She said suddenly.

"Explain." His voice was level, eyes the same green, only a bit more dull.

"You and her both seem to ram heads on a different level." Tiff did explain, and to the best of her ability. "Not in front of many people or vocally, but you both have a bit of friction between each other. Is it because she is a Star Warrior too?"

"That does indeed have something to do with it." Even Meta Knight seemed a little confused. "The way she treats myself and others bothers me."

"How come?" She asked, blinking. "She's perfectly nice to me! We talk all the time."

"What does her voice sound like?" He glanced at Tiff for a moment. "Is it light, or does it remain tinged with nervousness?"

"Well.." She mused with a frown. "I never really thought about it. Kind of nervous, now that you mention it. Why?"

"That is a sign of something that I saw amongst other Star Warriors." He kept his arms wrapped up in the cape. "We called it 'Effective Depression', because it effected every single Warrior it came in contact with."

"What causes it?" Tiff was pretty glad to have her notebook and pen nearby.

"It can be hard to tell." Meta Knight seemed to sigh behind his mask. "I knew a warrior who got it and went completely insane. Many said it was from the terrible things he had seen as a prisoner on other planets, and many also said that it was from him watching his entire family die before him."

"That's terrible!" She gasped, stopping the normally fluid motion of her pen.

"It was." He confided in her oppinion. "The truth was never revealed."

"But, she's not nearly that bad." Tiff tried to look on the good side of things.

"Not yet." Meta Knight responded and turned to the door. "I am going to train against her. If you need something, come to the courtyard."

Almost cautiously, she let her gaze follow him as he left. She knew it had to be something other than the way she treated people and what rank they were. She continued to finish the last sentence in her notepad;

_'And something about Meta Knight's behavior seems to throw me off. He acts like he's in love, but I highly doubt it._

_Sometimes, boys confuse me.'_

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Yeah, this chapter is filler-ish and pretty short. Sorry about that, but anyway, I'd like to know if you like this? If you do, please comment! :)


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